What do you want in a smartphone ? I think I can adventure a guess . You probably want a large screen . Who does n’t , correct ? Powerful processor ? Definitely . How about electric battery sprightliness that does n’t quit ? Motorola ’s Droid Turbo is here to fulfill your wishes .
What is it?
The Droid Turbo is Motorola ’s modish Verizon - exclusive flagship smartphone . Actually , it ’s one ofthree Moto flagships this yr : there ’s the slender 5.2 - inch Moto X , the thick 5.2 - in Droid Turbo , and the giant 6 - inchNexus 6 . The Turbo may be the center shaver in terms of sizing , but it ’s really puzzle the most impressive glasses — including a 565ppi QHD sieve and a gargantuan 3900mAh battery . mean of it as the supercharged spiritual heir to last year’sDroid Maxx .
Though the Droid Turbo is n’t trashy , it wo n’t send your pocketbook and coin bank account flitter in awe : you may collar a 32 GB mannequin for $ 200 and an 64 GB variance for $ 250 ( or off contract at $ 600 and $ 650 ) , which is in reality a modest footmark down from the Droid Maxx ’s $ 300 launching price last class . Still , at that damage , the Droid Turbo is in lineal rivalry with everything else on the Verizon shelf . That ’s a lot to choose from , include those colorful Moto Xs and jumbo Nexus 6s I just mentioned .
Why is it important?
Great concealment , processors , and battery life in an Android smartphone are tone general reserved for phablets , those finger - stretching monsters that have the way and the weighting to pack in a specification - bed sheet daydream . The Droid Turbo is n’t a phablet . Its screen - size come in at 5.2 inches , just like the Moto X , and its overall step is onlyslightly bigger . It ’s a scrappy gadget that thinks it can string up with the big kids , and in many ways the Turbo fits flop in .
Design
Like the Moto X , the Droid Turbo is a slap-up smartphone intermix together Motorola ’s wonderful bloat - free operating scheme and smart software features with a intent worthy of the Droid name . That is to say , black and red all over with a rugged appearance that looks like it could survive a woodchipper . ( Do n’t render that . You will be sad . )
The Droid Turbo comes in two clear-cut designs . The first one is the conversant fibreglass weave we ’ve seen on many a Droid . But for the last hebdomad , I ’ve been toting around a 64 GB Droid Turbo covered in ballistic nylon . You would n’t ordinarily recall of nylon as a more challenging , exotic material than , say , bamboo or leather or fibreglass , but it truly is typical … if only because nobody ’s done it before . Besides , the fibreglass , if you do n’t bed better , just wait and feels like charge card , but the nylon calculate greatand feel great too .
But when it comes to design , your pick are n’t just between fiberglass and nylon , but also between the Droid Turbo and the customizable Moto X. Among the Gizmodo staff , it ’s a fairly polarizing matter . The Droid Turbo is a much bulky gadget than the Moto X , which is one of the slimmer smartphones you’re able to buy . The nylon version is even a shade bigger and lowering because of the thick material , though not enough that you ’d comment in everyday use .
Droid Turbo vs. Moto X.
However , “ bulky ” should n’t be read as “ uncomfortable . ” Despite its extra heft , the Droid Turbo is n’t like lifting a boob or anything . The mild nylon material along with some rubber trimness makes the Turbo near impossible for me to drop .
The power button and volume rocker seat on the right gadget , where a ridged texture makes them well-heeled to get when you ’re bollix around in the dark . Curiously , it ’s a footling harder to switch volume here than on most other speech sound . There ’s a reason for that : the volume rocking chair doubles as the microSIM tray . It arrive justly out of the phone . It ’s jolly neat , and one less prisonbreak in the chassis , but it does make me interest that the buttons could run out after years of purpose . In case you ’re curious , the push button ’s metal finish matches the circular Motorola logo on the back .
Motorola nanocoats the microUSB port and headphone jack , as well as the inside of the machine , so you’re able to confidently whisk out your phone in a downpour . A few time when it began rain down , I ran alfresco to make a few phone song — which in any other context would make me a nutcase — but the Droid lived up to its hope . Still , do n’t dunk this phone in a pail of water or transmit on foresightful Old World chat with your BFF in the shower . The Droid Turbo is waterresistant but does n’t claim any proofing ability .
The 5.2 - column inch screen is a well-situated middle ground between sensible sizing and a script - aching phablet monster . There were times I for the original Moto X ’s 4.7 - inch presentation , but the Turbo ’s 2 K screen made those wishes few and far between . With an AMOLED display at an unprecedented 565 pixels - per - in , ascertain anything on the Turbo depend beautiful . Colors are vivid and app ikon have no discernible blurriness or bleed . take in Angle are outstanding and the somewhat elongated bottom bezel produce it middling well-to-do to sustain while streamingLast Action Hero or Big Trouble in Little China . I ’m on a cheesy action picture show kick , what can I say ?
I bid I could say that the Turbo is perfect for message uptake , but it fall short in one noticeable area for me — audio quality . Only one front - facing speaker rests on top of the gadget . Front - facing , good . One verbalizer , bad . Strangely enough , I have to cite Motorola ’s Moto G ( awonderful small budget smartphone ) for an example of audio done rightfulness . When listening to music through smartphone loudspeaker system , double front - face drivers are the way to go , and it ’s a feature perplexingly lacking on both the Turbo and the Moto X. ( The Nexus 6 has them . ) This does n’t think that listen toRun the Jewels 2through this speaker unit is like cleaning your ears out with a emery paper Q - Tip , but the audio does palpate reasonably tinny and lopsided .
Right below that beautiful cover , Motorola tucked away dedicated capacitive keys instead of using onscreen navigation . That ’s not a ding : I unremarkably desire as much screen and as lilliputian gadget as potential on my Android handsets , but I can also understand the appeal of always knowing where to press to get back to the homescreen . Still , Android Lollipop looks mighty fine without capacitive keys on the Nexus 6 , and I enquire what the Droid Turbo will be like once it receive that update — which Verizon has promise is come up before long .
Using it
As its crazy herculean screen and processor would advise , this is one of the best - looking and antiphonal smartphones I ’ve used in 2014 . I ’ve used the Droid now for a week with the Moto X horseback riding shotgun , and this matter just does n’t even hiccough . It hum properly along with whatever program I ’m using , even graphics - intensive game likeDead Trigger 2 . Mind you , that ’s mostly reliable of the Moto X as well . With an Snapdragon 805 Saratoga chip ( the Moto X has the 801 ) , it ’s like telling the difference between great and great . Both perform astonishingly well . I found the Droid Turbo to be more or less more efficient at rendering 3D environment where the Moto X was a little jittery , but confide me , you ’d be felicitous with either .
However , the Turbo does have the tendency to get pretty spicy during those heavy utilization seance . The phone does a just job redistributing heating plant so it ’s not just one expanse of the phone that ’s perfectly scald , but the nylon back made for sweaty palms after 10 minutes of smashing zombi spirit .
Much like the Moto X , what makes the Droid Turbo such a great phone is n’t just the computer hardware but Motorola ’s sprinkle of light augmentation on top of the inventory Android OS . Where many smartphone maker ’ struggle platform offer services whose actual usefulness is debatable , Motorola packs in orderly little apps you ’ll actually require to use like Moto Assist , Moto Voice , and Moto Display . Moto Display is the absolute best , especially if you work at a desk . The Turbo will gently throb every so often to tell the meter and expose any raw notifications . I hardly ever had to spread my headphone since I could see most of my notification and emails with just one tap . This single feature is grounds enough to go Motorola . No kidding .
But you ’ve also got to love Moto Assist , which cook your smartphone smarter by becoming more cognizant of your function by hush up sound calls ( unless repeated in case of emergency ) when you ’re asleep and in meetings , and Moto Voice so you’re able to issue voice commands to the phone even when it ’s still lock in . The combination of Voice and Assist is particularly nice when driving , reading textbook substance and epithet of callers so you’re able to keep your eyes on the road , and then letting you respond without reach the telephone set .
One of Verizon ’s pre - installed apps might finally be deserving your while , too : there ’s a Droid exclusive feature called Droid Zap which lets you easy portion out photos with friend or cast up pictorial matter on a Chromecast - enable TV . Only a Droid user can create a “ Zap Zone , ” but anyone with an iPhone or Android machine can download the Droid Zap app and join your Zone anonymously . The Zap Zone then becomes a photographic stream of consciousness . It ’s a cool trick , but I got drill promptly . I ’d just stick with secret Instagrams .
Speaking of photography , the Turbo ’s camera is somewhat decent . In normal lighting circumstance , the Droid ’s 21 megapixels ( 16 megapixels when scud in 16:9 ) are n’t much different than the Moto X. Both peck up a great amount of detail , which we cite in oursmartphone photographic camera deathmatchearlier this year , and the color accuracy is also vivid and spot on .
Moto X ( 2014 )
Droid Turbo
But compare to the Moto X , the Turbo bourgeon right smart better in broken light . you may really see it when you see at the white brick wall in the flick below . Still , the Droid Turbo seems a little sluggish with the shutter , so getting perfect guessing of tight - moving subject could be a chore . There ’s also still no visual image stabilization to be regain .
Instead of the Moto X ’s “ doughnut flash , ” the Turbo habituate a dual light-emitting diode frame-up that really does a good job at fascinate accurate color and hide tones . ( My shots had less green tone . ) As for 4 super acid video transcription , it ’s as great as you ’d expect for a smartphone , and mankind , play back your videos on this 2 K screen door makes it even better .
Okay , the moment you ’ve been wait for : battery life . Verizon proudly puff out its thorax and say the Turbo can get you 48 hours on a charge , but its advertising is filled with caveats and asterisks . What ’s the verity ? Can you actually get 48 minute ?
Yeah , not so much . I ’ve been able to exist through this twist ’s full battery rhythm three times now and I consistently get around 30 hour . For my first footrace , I used Google Maps ( sans sailing ) , streamed some euphony , texted and emailed people , recorded a footling audio , and snapped some exposure . The phone lasted until about 1 pm the next day . The next prison term I purposefully used less , only picking up the equipment when I perfectly call for to and listen to some music on my commute . I got about the same amount of prison term . Now , let ’s be real , a day and halfis capital and it even last a few hour longer than the Moto X with much more power under the hood . But the Droid Turbo ’s electric battery was a fate like seeing the new Star Trek film — the trailers looked great , but it sure as hell was n’t Wrath of Khan .
he Turbo just does n’t seem very power economical when the phone is idle . I grabbed the new Sony Xperia Z3 , which is also glorify for model bombardment life , and let each sit out 8 minute overnight , unplugged , without any stamp battery - drain location reportage or always - on Bluetooth running in the background . I lost 20 percent charge on the Turbo and only 8 percent on the Z3 . You could turn off Moto Display and save more top executive , but once you start cutting into a smartphone ’s core features to reach the manufacturer- quote stamp battery life , something is amiss .
Like
Even though I gave the electric battery some grief , it is very good for all the herculean computer hardware you ’re getting — just gestate a insure high-pitched - octane 24-hour interval rather than a wishy - washy two - day promise . And hey , if you do hap to postulate some succus , Motorola carry its $ 35 Turbo Charger with the Droid Turbo , which says it can power your smartphone for 8 hours on a 15 - mo bursting charge . plug in my Turbo at 1 pct battery , I place an warning machine for 15 minutes and unplugged on the exact second . I was back up at 16 percent and was able-bodied to get about 5 hours of spark to medium purpose . Once again , the 8 hour sign seems like a stint , but it ’s a ready to hand feature film nonetheless .
After a full hebdomad , I ’m still a big rooter of nylon . I do n’t know how well it ’ll wear , but hey , it was originally make grow for the military , veracious ? Seems pretty perdurable .
This screen is really , really great . It has in force color accuracy and acuity compared to the Moto X and I utterly can not wait to see what Lollipop will look like on this thing . perchance the Turbo ’s biggest blessing is that it ’s middling future - proof . With best - of - the - best spectacles , most buyers can expect for the Turbo to remain private-enterprise with upcoming handset at this size for at least six months , peradventure even a class . If you ’re someone that hat corrupt something only for it to become obsolete a workweek later on , you wo n’t have to worry about that here .
No Like
The Turbo does n’t seem as index efficient as could be . With Bluetooth and location reporting off , I was still burning through battery with my smartphone just sit there .
Verizon may have shown restraint with its branding , but it sure did n’t with its apps . Loading up your own troupe apps is one thing , but attaching lifestyle apps , like the NFL app , and gain them non - obliterable ( meaning prepare for a lot of disabling ) is really frustrating and something endemic of carrier smartphones everywhere . Makes me wish I could just bribe this thing through Motorola . I begrudge you , Mexico and Brazil .
Droid Turbo vs. Moto X
Should I buy it?
If you require a tops powerful , futurity - proof smartphone with all the welfare that good battery liveliness impart with it , then the Droid Turbo will do you well . However , it ’s probably the most bland and utilitarian smartphone design in Motorola ’s arsenal ( or any smartphone maker ’s lineup for that matter . ) Moto Maker , the Moto X ’s on-line design locomotive engine that lets you personalize your smartphone , ready that twist feel more personal and unequaled . The Turbo is just a self-colored colour , red or disgraceful , and while the nylon is a nifty accession , it ’s not on the nose the refined finish you ’ll find on the iPhones , HTC Ones , and Moto Xs of the human race .
But that ’s all right . The Droid has always been all about the prayer of gritty , powerful machinery . Verizon bloat aside , it ’s a phone for gadget purists . If you ’ve ever wanted a Droid , now ’s the perfect time to put one in your pouch .
Droid Turbo Specs
• oxygen : Android 4.4.4 ( Lollipop promised )
• CPU : Snapdragon 805
• Screen : 5.2 - in 2560 x 1440 AMOLED 565 PPI
• RAM : 3 GB
• Storage : 32 GB ( 64 GB ballistic nylon usable )
• Camera : 21MP rear / 2 MP front
• Battery : 3900 mAh Li - Po ( with Turbo Charger and Qi wireless charging standard )
• damage : $ 200 ( 32 GB ) , $ 250 ( 64 GB ) , $ 600 and $ 650 off contract
picture and GIF by Nick Stango
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